Field
This disclosure relates, in general, to the field of single-use disposable set connectors, and, more particularly, to single-use disposable set connectors configured for delivering fluid to a patient.
Description of the Related Art
In many medical diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, a medical practitioner, such as a physician, injects a patient with one or more medical fluids. In recent years, a number of medical fluid delivery systems for pressurized injection of fluids, such as a contrast solution (often referred to simply as “contrast”), a flushing agent, such as saline, and other medical fluids, have been developed for use in procedures such as angiography, computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and other molecular imaging procedures. In general, these medical fluid delivery systems are designed to deliver a preset amount of fluid at a preset flow rate.
In some injection procedures, the medical practitioner places a catheter or needle into a vein or artery of the patient. The catheter or needle is connected to either a manual or an automatic fluid injector system by way of tubing and a connector that interfaces with the fluid injector system. Automatic fluid injector systems typically include at least one syringe connected to at least one fluid injector having, for example, a powered linear piston. The at least one syringe includes, for example, a source of contrast and/or a source of flushing fluid. The medical practitioner enters settings into an electronic control system of the fluid injector for a fixed volume of contrast and/or saline and a fixed rate of injection for each. A single-use disposable set connector and associated tubing is connected to the fluid injector system for delivering one or more fluids to the patient.
While various manual and automatic fluid delivery systems are known in the medical field, improved multi-fluid delivery systems adapted for use in medical diagnostic and therapeutic procedures where one or more fluids are supplied to a patient during such procedures continue to be in demand. Additionally, improved single-use disposable set connectors that may be used with multi-fluid delivery systems for facilitating a delivery of one or more fluids to a patient are also desired in the medical field. The medical field continues to demand improved medical devices and systems used to supply fluids to patients during various medical procedures.